Fertilizer-distributer.



. o. 830.773. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

W. J. ELSOM. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. 1906. v sums-sum 1.

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WITNESSES n4: NORRIS rsrsns co. WASHINGTON. n c

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

W. J. ELSOM. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED PEB.12, 1906.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. 1906.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

W. J. BLSOM.

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTBR.

APPLIOATION FILED PM]. 12. 1906.

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WITNESSES."

7 SHBETS-SHEET 5.

No- 830,773. 7 PATBNTED SEPT. 11, 1906. W. J. ELSOM.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. 1906.

7 SHEETSSHEBT 64 W1 'IW'ESSES PATENTE'D SEPT. 11, 1906.

W. J. ELSOM. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

PPLIOATI run 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. ELSOM, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE H. GARRISON AND CHARLES M. DE VANY, OF CORTLAND, NEW YORK.

FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed February 12, 1906. Serial No. 300.566.

body to form the bottom thereof for' receiving the load of fertilizer and subsequently moves said apron gradually-rearward to discharge the fertilizer through the rear end of the body.

The object'of the invention .is to provide simple and efficient means for automatically' arresting the motion of the longitudinally- I reciprocating apron'at-its arrival at its normal or loading position in thebody of the vehicle and at the end of its delivery of the fertilizer from said body; and to that end the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the component parts of the invention hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of opposite sides of a machine equipped with my invenreverse the movement of the apron. .1s an enlarged side view of the propelling tion.

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections showing the apron in position for controlling its propelling mechanisms to automatically Fig. 5

mechanism of the apron, some of the parts being broken away to expose more important features of the mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached plan view of the reversing mechanism. Fig. 7 is a side view of the bracket on which the clutch-shifting levers are fulcrumed. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary face view of the disk gear which transmits motion from the traction-wheels. Fig. 9 is a detached side view of the yoke which connects the clutch-shifting lever to its actuating-lever. Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section through the center of the left traction-wheel and the gear which transmits motion to the beater. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the longitudinally-movable plate and clutch-shifting lever actuated by said plate. Fig. 12 is an inner face view of the collar which is fastened to the axle B and transmits motion from the traction-wheel to said axle. transverse section of said collar, and Figs. 14 and 15 are face views of the clutch mechanism which transmits motion from the tracthe rear axle.

Fig. 13 is a tion-wheel at the right side of the machine to v A represents the box or body for carrying the fertilizer to be distributed. B B denote the traction-wheels, which are mounted loosely onthe rear axle B.

0 represents the longitudinally-movable apron, which is pro rider] with the followboard D on its front end to convey the fertilizer to the rear of the body A.

5 IC is the usual beater, which ser res to scjatQ i .ter the fertilizer delivered from the rear end 'of-the body, and E denotes the usual adjustable tail-board. I l The apron a extends from end to end of the body and forms the bottom or floor thereof. I

when in its normal position, asshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, Said apron consists of transverse slats attached to endless chains 0, a, which are carried on sprocket-wheels b and 6, attached to transverse shafts c and c, mounted in suitable bearings on the ends of the body A. The-wheels b are rigidly attached to the shaft 0, which will be hereinafter referred to as the apron-shaft. This shaft receives rotary motion, which is reversible to propel the a ron rearward and cause it to discharge the ertilizer through the rear end of the body A and then forward to' its normal position in the body A.

The apron, as well as the beater, is actuated by the rear axle B, which is journaled in suitable hearings on the body A and receives rotary motion from the two tractionwh eels B B by means of suitable clutch mech- 1- anisms which maintain the apron and heater in motion to continue distributing the fertilizer from the machine while being turned from a straightforward course.

The clutch mechanism at the left of the machine is preferably of the form shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the accompanying drawings, in which 1 represents a gear-wheel, which is mounted loosely on the rear axle B and engages a pinion 2, which is formed on the hub of a sprocket-wheel 3, pivoted to a stub-shaft 4, rigidly sustained on the bod A1 A chain 5 transmits motion to a sproc et-' wheel 6, which is fastened to the shaft of the beater C, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Between the hub of the gear-wheel 1 and hub of the traction-wheel B is a collar 7, mounted on the axle B and pinned or otherwise rig idly attached thereto. The outer side of said collar has projecting from it a spider 8,

' to which are pivoted pawls 9 9 9, engaging an annularratchet 10, secured or formed 1n a cavity in the aforesaid hub, and thus causing the axle B to rotate with the traction-wheel. The inner side of the collar 7 is formed with a clutch-face 11, which faces a correspondingly-sha ed clutch-face on the adjacent side of the hu of the gear-wheel 1, which is movable to and from the'collarto engage and re lease the same. The shifting of the gearwheel 1 is effected by means of a lever 12, fulcrumed on the side of the body and havi one end engaged with a circumferentiifi groove 13 in the hub of the gear-wheel. The opposite end of said lever is in enga ement with an oblique slot 14 in a longitudinallymovable plate '15, connected to the body A and controlled by means of a hand-lever U, pivoted to the side of the body near the driver's seat and connected by a rod U to the upper end of lever V, pivoted to the body, the lower end of which lever is connected by a rod'V to the plate 15.

The clutch mechanisms at the right side of the machine consist of pawls 16, ivoted to the disk-O, which is rigidly attac ed to the axle B, said aWls engaging a ratchet 17 in the hub of the adjacent traction-wheel B. (Shown in Figs. 14 and 15 of the drawings.) The disk 0 has projecting from its inner face a plurality of concentric annular rows of teeth t't, as'shown in Fig. 8 of the drawin s. Near the toothed side of said disk is a ra ially-disposed shaft (1, which is journaled at one end in a stationary block d, which loosely embraces the axle B. The opposite end of said shaft is journaled in a bearing on a bracket I, firmly attached to the side of the body A and formed with the aforesaid block d. The shaft d is provided with a s line e and has mounted on it a pinion J, W 'ch is adapted to slide lengthwise of said shaft andis provided with a groove engaging the spline e to compel the shaft to turn with the inion. By sliding the pinion toward or from the axle B to engage different rows of teeth t the speed of revolution of the pinion J is varied as may be desired, and by sliding the said pinion to a position which prevents engagement with the teeth of the'disk the rotation of the pinion is arrested. Said adjustment is effected by means of hand-lever R on the forward end of the body and convenient to the person in charge of the machine. A rod R connects the hand-lever R with a bellcrank S, pivoted to the bracket I and connected with a ring S, seated loosely in a circumferential groove in the hub of the pinion apron-shaft c and is formed with clutch member c on its inner face, as is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

On the apron-shaft c is a lon itudinallymovable duplex clutch-collar f, w ich is provided with a groove engaging a spline f on the shaft 0. By sliding said clutch-collar into engagement with the clutch member 0 of the Wheel P the apron-shaft 0 receives rotary motion which propels the apron a rearward. At a proper distance from the inner side of the sprocket-wheel P is a bevel-gear g, which is also loosely mounted on the shaft 0 and has on its outer face a clutch member 9.

71. represents a shaft which is disposed radially in line with the axial centers of the axle B and apron-shaft c and journaled near its ends in bearings h h, fastened to the side of the body A, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. On the front end of the shaft h is adjustably mounted a pinion i, which can be placed to engage different rows of teeth t of the disk 0. To the rear end of the said shaft is attached a bevel-pinion i, which meshes with the bevel-gear g, and thus causes said gear to be rotated in a direction reverse from the rotation of the sprocket-wheel P, which reverse motion is transmitted to the apronshaft 0 when the clutch-collar f is shifted into engagement with the clutch member g of the gear g. The engagement of the pinion i with the gear-wheel 9 moves the apron forward. to its normal position in the body A. The gearwheel 9 is sufficiently distant from the sprocket-wheel P to allow the clutch-collar f to be placed in a neutral position to prevent its engagement with either of the clutch mem bers g and 0 as shown in Fig. 6, and thus maintain the apron-shaft dormant. The clutch-collar f is automatically placed in said position by instrumentality of mechanisms actuated by the traveling apron. This is effected by means of a trip-lever k, which is pivoted at the center of its length on a transverse shaft or suitable support 0 on the front of the machine. To the ends of this lever are connected rearwardly-extending rods in k which are coupled to each other at their rear end by means of a chain 1, passing around the rear portion of the periphery of a suitable supporting-Wheel l, mounted loosely on the apron-shaft c. To the under side of the front end of the apron a is rigidly attached a block a through which the rod 7c freely passes. To the ends of said rod are firmly secured two collars a 0. The collar a is placed in position to be pushed forward by the block a when the apron a arrives at its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The other collar a is disposed to be pushed rearward by said block when the front end of the apron arrives at the rear end of the body A, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The rod 7c, moving with the said collars, rocks the lever k, which causes the rod is to move reverse from the rod 716. Along opposite sides of the shaft h extend longitudinal levers 0 0, which are pivoted at their front ends to a bracket 72, fastened to the outer side of the body A. The rear ends of said levers have ins or in s r 1 projecting laterally from tiie inner si es of the levers and.engagin a circumferential groove '11, in the clutchco lar f.

'n represents a bell-crank which is pivoted to a suitable bracket attached to the body A. This bell-crank has a short arm which is connected by a yoke or bifurcated link n to the levers 0 0 near the rear ends thereof, as shown more clearly in Fi 6 of the drawings. A longer arm of the bell-crank extends transversely under the body A and is connected to the rod k The hereinbeforedescribed movement of said rod causes the bell-crank n to move the rear ends of the levers'o 0 laterally sufficient to shift the clutch-collar f to a position which prevents it from eiwaging either of the two clutch members g and 0 as shown in Fig. 6. In this position the clutchcollar is left when thcfront collar of has been pushed forward by the block a on the apron. The body A is thus in condition to be loaded to convey the fertilizer to the field.

T denotes a foot-lever which is pivoted to the footboard T and has its lower end connected by a rod T to the upper end of the trip-lever lc.

When it is desired to distribute the fertilizer from the machine while traversing the field designed to receive the fertilizer, the

operator pushes the lever T into a position which tilts the trip-lever is so as to cause the lower rod to push the clutch f into enga ement with the clutch member 0 of t 10 sprocket-wheel P by means of the bell-crank n and levers 0 0. The apron-shaft c is thus rotated to impart rearward movement to the a ron. Upon the arrival of the front end of t e apron at the rear end of the body the block a encounters the collar (1 and in pushing the same rearward the rod 7: tilts the trip-lever is so as to draw the lower rod k forward, and thereby actuate the bell-crank n sufficiently to shift the clutch from the clutch member of the sprocket-w eel P and place said clutch into a neutral position, and thus arrest the movement of the apron after the fertilizer is distributed therefrom. The operator subsequently sets the apron in motion to return it to its normal position in the body by moving the foot-lever T into a posi* tion which causes the trip-lever k to draw the rod k forward, and thereby throw the clutch f into engagement with the clutch member mounted loosely on one end of the apron,

shaft, a clutch-collar splined to the apronshaft and adapted to engage said transmitting-wheels one at a time, two separate mechanisms actuated by one of the tractionwheels and imparting reverse motions'to the two transmitting-wheels, and nieansdispose'd to be'actuated by the apron at its arrival at the front and rear end portions of the machine and shifting the clutch-collar as set forth.

2. The combination with the apron and loosely-mounted traction-wheels, of two transmitting-wheels mounted loosely on the end of the apron-shaft at one side of the machine and provided with clutch members on their adjacent sides, a duplexclutch-collar splined to the apron-shaft between the transmitting-wheels to en age said wheels one at a time, two sets of mec anisms disposed at the aforesaid side of the machine and transmitting motion from the traction-wheel to the aforesaid wheels on the apron-shaft, a triplever disposed to be actuated by the traveling apron, longitudinal rods actuated by the trip-lever, and levers actuated by said rods and shifting the clutch-collar on the apronshaft as set forth.

3. The combination with the apron, and traction-wheels, transmitting-wheels mounted loosely on one end of the apron-shaft, a clutch-collar splined to the apron-shaft to engage the transmitting-wheels one at a time, two sets of mechanisms actuated by the same traction-wheel and imparting reverse motions, to the transmitting-wheels, a centrally pivoted trip-lever disposed to be actuated by the traveling apron, longitudinal rods connected tothe ends of the trip-lever, means actuatedby said rods to move the clutch-collar to its neutral position and a manually-o erated lever connected to the trip-lever to s 'ft the clutch-collar into operative position as set forth.

4. The combination, with the apron-shaft and traction-Wheels, of a gear-wheel and a sprocket-wheel both mounted loosely on the apron-shaft and provided with reverselyformed clutch members on their adjacent sides, a spline on the said shaft between the loosely-mounted Wheels, a duplex clutch collar sliding on the splined portion of the shaft, a gear mounted on the axle of the traction-wheel and receiving motion from the said traction-wheel, a sprocket-wheel actuated by said gear and connected by chain with the aforesaid loosely-mounted sprocket-wheel, a shaft disposed radially with the axial centers of the traction-wheel and apron-shaft, gears on opposite ends of said shaft and engaging respectively the gear on the axle and the gear on the apron-shaft, means for shifting the aforesaid clutch-collar into and out of engagemen't with the clutch members on the loosely mounted gear-wheel and sprocket;- wheel, a trigdever pivoted at the center of-"its length, a to connected to oneend of said triplever and extending lengthwise of the a; ron, collars attached to opposite en'dsof sai rod, a block attached to the apron to 30011138131; alternate-1y with said "collars, a longitudinally-disposed rod connected to the opposite end of the trip-iever, andmeans actuated-by said rod and shifting the aforesaid clutchcol-lar.

5. The combination with the apron, its propelling-shaft and traction-wheel's, of a ge ar-wheel and fa sprocket-wheel bo'th mount ed loosely on the a l on-shaft and "provided on their adj 'a'centsi" es with'reversely-shaped clutch members, a spline on said :shaft between the loosely-mounted Wheels, a duplex clutch collar'sli n'g on the splined ortion of the shaft, -"a gear actuatedby one the traction-whee'ls, a shaft'extending fror'n'saidgear to the gear-wheel on the apron-shaft, pim'ons on the {ends of said shaft and en aging said gear and gear-WheeL-asprocket wv eel receiving motion from theafo'res'aidtractiomwheel a chain transmitting motion from said sprocket wheel to the 'sprocket wheel-on the apron-shaft, -a lever disposed to shift the clutch-collar, a block attached to the front end cf-t'heaprcn, =a trip lever pivdted at the center 'of its le'n "th, a rod connected "to 'one end of said t'ripever and extending lengthwise'ofthe apron,collars'attached to the-ends of said rod=and-disposed to'colitact with said block, alongitudinallydisposed'rod connect- 'oted at t ed to the opposite end of the trip-lever and actuating the clutch-shifting lever as set forth.

6. The combination, with the apron-shaft, rear axle and traction-wheels, of a gearwheel and a sprocket-wheel both mounted loosely on the apron-shaft and provided with reversely-formed clutch members on their adjacent sides, a spline on the shaft between the loosel mounted wheels, a duplex clutchcollar sliding on the splined portion of the shaft, a gear mounted-on the axle of the traction-Wheels and receiving motion from said traction-wheels, a sprocket-wheel actuated by said ear and connected by chain with the loose y-mounted sprocket-wheel, a shaft disposed in line with the axial centers of the traction-wheels and apron-shaft, gears on opposite ends of said shaft enga ing re-' spectively theear on the axle an t 'he gear on *the a ron-s aft, longitudinal levers piviieir front ends to the body and engaging at their rear ends the clutch-collar, a he'll-crank having arms of different lengths and its short arm connected to the rear ends of'the longitudinal levers, a trip-lever pivoted at the center of its length, a block attached to the front end of the apron, a longitudinal rod connected to the upper end of the triplever, co'llars attached to theends of said rod and disposed 'tocontact with said block, a rod connected to the lower end of the triplever and to "the aforesaid bell-crank, a chain coupling the rear ends of said rods, and a loosely-mountedwheel supporting said-chain, as set forth and "shown.

WILLIAM J ELSOM. -Witnesses:

S. S. HORTON, LENA MAE 'ODONNELL. 

